The Miami Heat paid tribute to Dwyane Wade by unveiling a statue of the basketball icon outside the Kaseya Center. This milestone marks Wade as the first player in Heat history to receive a statue at the arena. The ceremony took place on Sunday, roughly eight months after team president Pat Riley revealed plans to honor Wade’s significant contributions to the team.
“This is unbelievable,” Wade remarked after the statue’s unveiling. “I wanted to truly experience this moment. Life moves quickly, and it’s uncommon for us to pause and feel things, as we’re always rushing to the next thing. I wanted to take a moment to appreciate this.”
Reflecting on the occasion, Wade expressed that he never anticipated such an honor. “I didn’t play for this,” he stated during the ceremony. “I didn’t pick up a basketball for accolades. My goal was to change my family’s life.”
Wade expressed that he feels “like one of the luckiest men in the world” because “people believe in me.”
The statue, created by Timeless Creations’ Omri Amrany and Oscar León, is located outside the Kaseya Center’s main entrance.
Upon seeing the statue for the first time, Wade was visibly amazed, saying, “That’s incredible. I can’t believe it. Who’s that guy?” Once he took his place at the podium, he frequently turned to admire the large statue of himself, beaming with joy.
However, some of Wade’s fans online weren’t as impressed, claiming the statue doesn’t resemble him closely.
Playfully responding to Wade’s “who’s that guy?” remark, one user on X noted, “We’re all wondering the same thing.” The statue depicts Wade in a celebratory pose, with his mouth open, eyes squinted, and arms raised while pointing down.
Another user joked that the statue actually represented “Wayne Dade,” while a third compared it to actor Laurence Fishburne. ESPN reporter Jeff Darlington humorously suggested that the Heat should have held a contest to see if fans could identify the statue as Wade, offering the winner the chance to keep it.
When asked during a news conference about his initial reaction to the statue, Wade simply said, “That’s beautiful.”
Wade expressed his belief that the statue is among the best ever created because of its significance for both him and the team.
He played 13 seasons with the Heat from 2003 to 2016 before spending a year each with the Chicago Bulls and the Cleveland Cavaliers, ultimately returning to Miami for his final NBA season.
Next to the statue, a wall highlights Wade’s many career achievements, including his status as the Heat’s all-time leading scorer. Notably, he is one of only two players who were part of all three Miami Heat teams that won NBA championships, the other being Udonis Haslem.
The Miami Heat refer to Wade as “the greatest player in franchise history,” and he is one of six former players whose jersey numbers have been retired by the team.
A member of the Basketball Hall of Fame, Wade was part of the celebrated Big Three alongside LeBron James and Chris Bosh from 2010 to 2014, during which time the Heat secured two NBA championships and four Eastern Conference titles.
Wade also represented the United States at the 2008 Beijing Olympics, where he won a gold medal, and he earned a bronze medal at the Athens Games in 2004.
The celebrations will continue on Monday as the Heat face the Detroit Pistons in a “special Wade-themed game night,” featuring video tributes and a halftime speech from Wade. This game also marks the 21st anniversary of Wade’s debut with the team.
At the statue unveiling, Wade expressed his gratitude to fans for their support throughout his career, stating, “I believe I gave you guys something set in stone to hold on to.” He concluded with, “This is my house. I’m out.”